Hero’s Journey/Monomyth: From Here to Eternity (Academy Award Winner, 1953) Deconstructed (Basic)
The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.
Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.
The Hero’s Journey:
a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.
b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.
c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.
and more…
Hero’s Journey / Monomyth: From Here to Eternity (1953) deconstructed [basic]
FADE IN: context: the army / Hawaii.
Meeting the Hero: Prew arrives.
Meeting the Loyal Ally /Joker / Sacrificial Lamb: meeting Maggio.
Warning: you made a bad decision quitting the bugle core.
Obstacle to the Mentor: he’s not in yet.
Meeting the Mentor: Warden walks in.
Recognising each other: they’ve heard of each other.
Mentor’s rules: you’re not supposed to enjoy yourself….
Hero’s Capabilities: best bugler.
Mentor’s Status: Maggio rushes away from the window.
Mentor’s Capabilities: Warden effectively in charge.
Call to Adventure: Capt. wants Prew to fight.
Refusal: Prew won’t fight.
Magical Gift: Warden gets Prew supplies and advises him to be smart.
Mentor’s Romantic Challenge (RC1): Karen arrives and talks to Warden.
RC1’s challenge: Karen not in love with her husband.
Pushed to the First Threshold: the pool scene.
Warning: about to go to sleep; you ain’t seen them gang up on somebody.
First Threshold / Outer Cave: marching / assembling weapons.
Middle Cave: Maggio saw that; 7 laps too.
Warning: Warden warned off Karen / Levenworth.
Pushed to the Inner Cave: you ought to enjoy yourself.
Inner Cave: Warden visits Karen at home.
Pulled to the Belly of the Whale: Maggio pulls Prew to the Congress Club.
Warning of the Belly: Karen’s ex-lover warns Warden.
Resisting the Belly: Karen not sure by the beach.
Belly of the Whale: Prew meets Lorene / Maggio meets Fatso / Karen tells Warden about the miscarriages.
Warning of the Physical Separation: Pre warned that there are no holds barred now.
Physical Separation: forced into the water / digging a hole / clean the spit.
Trial 1: walking up to The Pass twice.
Trial 2: Warden prevents the Court Marshall.
Mentor’s Guidance / resisting not going forward: Warden tells Prew to be smart.
Pushed to a Transformation: I’m tired of being a stooge.
Mentor’s Capabilities / Old Self: playing the Bugle.
Trial 3: Warden, Maggio and Fatso fight.
Reward: Warden gets Prew a weekend pass.
Resisting the Sword: Maggio doesn’t want Guard Duty: Prew finds it difficult to see Lorene.
New Self: Lorene is really Alma.
Seizing the Sword: Prew tries to get Maggio back; the MP’s catch him; he gets six months in the stockade.
Night Sea Journey: Maggio meets Fatso inside the Stockade.
Romantic Challenge Conquered: Alma invites Prew to her place / Karen persuades Warden to become an officer.
Transformation: Prewitt wants to marry Alma; he’ll fight if he has to.
Resisting the Transformation: Alma doesn’t want to be a soldier’s wife.
Transformation: Karen tells Holmes she wants a divorce.
Foreshadow of the Near Death Experience: Prew told that Fatso is beating Maggio.
[Proof of] Transformation: Prew fights.
Celebration: Prew et al drinking and singing.
Near Death Experience: Maggio dies / Prew plays the bugle.
Atonement with the Father: Prew kills Fatso; Holmes is fired.
Apotheosis: no more boxing / Warden gets on with the new boss / in charge.
Ultimate Boon: Warden doesn’t want to be an officer / splits with Karen / Alma knows Prew killed Fatso.
Refusal: The Japs attack; refusal to believe it; refusal into the armoury.
Magic Flight: Warden et al shoot down the aircraft.
Resisting the Return: Alma doesn’t want Prew to go.
Crossing the Return Threshold: Prew goes back; gets shot.
Freedom to Live: no boxing championship this year; the girls on the boat.
Learn more…
The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/
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Kal Bishop, MBA
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[From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and sitcoms at www.clickok.co.uk and our isolation and identification of more than 188 stages of the Hero's Journey that you need to know about...]
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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://www.clickok.co.uk/
